What is it with the Windsors?

Eloethan - my comment was an attempt at humour and irony really. Yes, Mary Robinson is someone I'd be happy to have as president. Anno - I'm afraid that much as I don't trust him, Boris does make me laugh. Scarlet, Camilla B is something of a hero of mine, but not sure she'd be the best president. In the heady 70's and 80's, I felt we may move to a republic by consent, but that no longer seems likely in my lifetime.

I have just logged into GN at this unearthly hour.

On the subject of the royal christening robe.We had a family heirloom one that my grandmother was given by an old lady when my mother was born in 1919.My mother, her brother, then myself and my four siblings were all baptised wearing it-not altogether of course!
I wanted it for my two sons, but by that time it, like the original royal family one had got too fragile and was also much too small, babies in my family were baptised shortly after birth and my first son, at three months when he was baptised was far too big to wear it.
None of my siblings had their children baptised, and I still have the robe, well wrapped up.My three oldest grandchildren are unbaptised, I made a christening robe for my youngest grandaughter and my only grandson wore a white romper suit.
My DH remarked on the photo of the baby looking miserable ''So would I be if I was forced to wear a long lace dress''

Curtesy? Spellcheck Grrrrr

I'm sure curtseying will die out with the Queen and when there are no cameras present how do we know whether or not they are actually doing it?

To bow or curtesy to anyone! Why would anyone be willing to do this?

I think the new (clarified) precedence protocols following Prince William's marriage boiled down to The Duchess of Cambridge having to curtsey to all blood royal princes/princesses, including Ps Beatrice and Eugenie when she is not accompanied by her husband and to the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh and Prince and Princess of Wales (Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay, Countess of Chester, Countess of Carrick, etc.) Load of old nonsense of course.

When my DS2 was quite ill after he was born, and had to stay in SCBU, one of my friends came round and asked if we had had him christened. As we hadn't had his older brother christened and neither of us was a believer, we didn't think it was relevant, but she was quite shocked that a sick child hadn't been christened. Superstition!

Only just seen your comment Scarlet21 You are quite right it really shouldn't have made that much difference. The situation wasn't helped by the fact that we lived out in the country, miles from either a C of E or RC church, I couldn't drive and the only reachable church was a Methodist chapel which didn't suit either of us. Both children have grown up to be devout atheists - whether this is down to the lack of christening I have no idea.

Iam64 The Queen was just a film and Helen Mirren is an actress. If the queen were depicted as, for instance, an ill-tempered, partisan and emotionally stunted person it wouldn't have been a very engaging film would it? And anyway everybody would have been too scared to make it, such is the power of the royal family. As it stood, it was a great PR exercise.

If the queen has just a symbolic role and carries no real power, presumably anyone can be chosen to do the job. Mary Robinson was admired and respected by many people.

Camila Batmanghelidjh?

There's always Boris. [ducks for cover]

Yes, but increasingly I wonder if they'd be replaced by anything better, come the revolution. I confess I love the pagentry, all the Queens horses and all the Queen's men. Since Helen Mirren became Queen I've like the actual queen more. All this, and enjoying the oven cleaning thread - am I a lost cause? Can anyone name an already famous individual we'd prefer as president to her may?

Didn't Cherie Blair refuse to curtsey? If so, good for her. Nobody should bend the knee to another person.

I also come from respectable line of unchristened. Nice baby though don't you think. Pretty.

I agree with Riverwalk - it's farcical that in a supposedly modern country we have all these archaic rules and customs which serve to entrench notions of entitlement and privilege.

*gillybob" - I think that's rather unkind.

They are like Cinderellas ugly sisters !

The updating of the who takes precedence/curtsying to each other shows how ridiculous the whole thing is.

If most of the royal family dropped dead and only Beatrice or Eugenie survived either of them could become monarch - imagine that!

Camilla, Kate and Sophie couldn't.

She is fifth in the female order. Outranked by ER Cammilla, Sophi and Anne

The one I was looking at is the June 2013 one.
I think this is the updated one to get rid of the E and B problem. Kate now ranks third in the female line.

Do they really insist on Kate curtseying to Beatrice and Eugenie?

She could always rebel with a "not bloody likely!", couldn't she?

Don't suppose she will, but if that is the reason for them not being at the christening, it's a start.

It's all the curtseying, bowing and grovelling that gets me. They are only human beings like you and me. They were just fortunate to be born (or marry) into extreme weath and priviledge.

I agree Ceesnan. They can't win. I don't believe we can have any concept of what it is like to be part of that family.They have been conditioned to being part of a long line of royalty-hence the Queens devotion to duty at the age of 87.It must be very strange for William to also be one of an ordinary , albeit quite wealthy family now,but he'd be a brave man to renounce all the trappings of the monarchy.

Uncle Gary is Carole Middleton's brother thatbags. Described as a 'tycoon' and has a villa in Ibiza called 'la maison de bang bang'. Known to be fond of cocaine. Come to think of it, you're probably all right and he might have got on very well with Margaret.

I think Faye is right about Beatrice and Eugene; wasn't there a 'recently updated protocol' that said Kate had to curtsey to Beatrice and Eugene when William wasn't present?

I know far too much about this family.

Just googled precedence. Kate outranks Eugenie and Beatrice!

I was wondering that?